We make terrible Iraqis!

I pull off the highway, drawn by the billboard announcing cheap diesel, and tried to pull into a traveling j travel plaza along with half the folks traveling today.

There is a long line, reminiscent of the gas wars in the 70’s – has it been that long since I’ve waited in line for more than 4 minutes for gas?

Beefy white men in RV’s, SUV’s, and those huge $60,000 dollar trucks are jostling for a better position. Tempers are flaring and men are shouting as they accuse each other of cheating to get gas quicker.

I am next to a group of 4 or 5 that are pissed at one of them who has come in the wrong way and jumped the line. I tell them they’d make terrible Iraqis. That shuts them up and gives them a common focus – me!

I tell them people in Iraq often wait for days in line to get a few gallons of gas.

“Why is that?” one of the older men ask.

“Yeah,” I say, “Why the hell is that? Iraq has the 2nd largest oil reserves in the world and people have no fuel, maybe an hour or 2 of electricity every day, and they take their lives in their hands just to be at a gas station.”

The men appear a little ashamed and head off to their vehicles without saying another word.

hmmmmm